PetSmart

To whom it may concern.

I am writing this letter due the complaint I wish to address. Until January of 2021, I was a very faithful and loyal member of your establishment. If you want to look up my spending history, you may search by [protected]. Nothing may ever be addressed or called to anyone's attention, yet when my company addresses a letter of complaint to the office of the president of our corporation, it is handled. This complaint may go unaddressed and nothing be done, although the longer I think of how I was treated at your establishment, I feel I simply need to get off my chest and let the corporate office know of the issue that occurred at your Powell, Tennessee location, Pet .

I have been in customer service for the past 20 years, working for a reputable well known pharmaceutical company. I held the position of manager leadership and had one of my employees ever treated me as I was treated, they would be placed on suspension with final written warning, or termination would have occurred.

I began using Pet Smart over 2 years ago to get my dogs groomed, purchasing all their toys, treats, and food at your Powell, Tn. Location. When I called to make an appointment with my original groomer, (which was the best groomer you had), they advised she was no longer there, she had been terminated. First, no business should ever divulge to a customer an employee had been termed. This is confidential and private information. I then proceeded to tell the individual I needed to make an appointment for grooming. I asked who was the next best groomer she had. They provided me with the name of Ivy.

On the date of December 8, 2020, I took my Portuguese Water Dog in for grooming. They kept her from 1 pm - 5:38 pm. I have a record tracked on my phone, and I always advise the groomer to contact me about 30 minutes before finished grooming until I can be ready to pick up my pet to prevent her from being caged. On my cell phone my call came in at 5:38 pm, which was not Ivy the one calling. I arrived at exactly 6 pm. When I wanted back to the grooming dept., all lights were out, no one there. I ask one of the employees where was my dog, and he advised me everyone left at 5:30 pm. I went up front and they front check out looked completely astonished. I explained no one back there and I needed to pick up my dog. The staff acted as if they didn't care, or had any clues what I was trying to tell them. I told them I will not leave the store without her. She was back there in the dark, all lights out in the grooming facility. If I had I been contacted in the amount of time I requested, I would have been there, and regardless, someone should have left a notes at the grooming desk to check with front for dog pick up. No notes, nothing. I had no idea how I would get her. I felt like calling the police. I ask to speak to a manager, and they acted as if they ignored me, and I ask again, and I advised this was not very good customer service. I am not sure you are aware, although a Portuguese Water Dog isn't a cheap dog. Regardless of her cost, no one would want their pet left, and no notes as to where to go or what to do.

Once I was able to get my pet, she looked as if she had not even been groomed. Her fur didn't feel clean, she didn't smell as if she had a bath, her ears were not clean, and the bottom of her paws was not even trimmed.

The very next week, December 15th I brought in my 2nd pet for grooming. He was a Golden Doodle. When Ivy came out, I asked if she would be there when I picked him up. She told me she stayed until 6:10 waiting on me, which was not true. I also ask for her to be sure to trim between the pads on my Goldendoodle feet, because my Porte wasn't trimmed, and for them to please take more off of him than previous pet. Ivy appeared to be angry at my request….. I am sorry but I pay lots of money for my pets to be groomed and they should try to groom the way the clients want, instead of running through a production line. I am not difficult, nor hard to please or satisfy, yet anyone would want their dog to appear groomed, along with being fresh and clean. I also have purchased a very large amount of merchandise along with food from your store through end of 2019 and all through 2020. .

On the 2nd dog, I again advised for them to call me 30 min. prior to him being ready. I left my home, to be sure to be there when I received the call, I was in the store when my call came into my cell phone, I told them I was in the building. My pet was ready in 10 min. after I arrived, so that was not a 30 min. pre call. When I walked back to grooming, they looked so shocked. I stood back until my pet could not see me. Once completed, the Groomer, Ivy did not bring him out. Another lady brought my pet out and advised me they were NO longer going to groom my pets. I could continue to go to any Pet Smart but the Petsmart in Powell wasn't going to continue to groom my dogs (3 of them), due to she indicated my expectations were too high for them to groom my pet. This isn't true, I feel for me to ask they do their job isn't anything any pet owner doesn't expect. $85.00 per grooming 3 dogs and a tip is a lot of money for 3 dogs, and to be a faithful and loyal customer from all the purchases I have made at Petsmart. I can say, from a manager of a very large corporation, this isn't the way you treat your loyal customers, and your grooming department is lacking in accountability, customer interaction, communication skills and how to display integrity. I hope me reporting this issue, will be addressed, because I am sure I am not the only customer that has complained about your grooming department and this isn't the only incident of dissatisfaction that has occurred from your grooming department in Powell, Tennessee . Once I took my 3rd Goldendoodle to a different groomer, Becky, which she was training a girl, yet I wasn't told someone else would be grooming him, his head was so chopped up and gapped, I had to return him to be shaped up. He looked terrible. The groomer that shaped him up said "Oh, Didn't Becky tell you she would be training another individual on your dog", I said no, I had no idea. I was appreciative they trimmed him up and I tried every way to pay them, even telling them I did not expect them to work and not get paid for grooming. I do appreciate they made that time right, but that was their choice, not mine, I insisted they keep the money and they gave me a credit.

I have moved on, and I am going to take my business elsewhere where my money will be appreciated and not have to deal with some snobby groomer's attitude or lies. I suppose I was in shock, as good as I have been to the grooming dept. they advised me basically I could go elsewhere.

Thank you for reviewing the case.

Sincerely,

Mary Lou Anderson
6300 McNeely Rd
Corryton, Tn. 37721

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